Synthesis of stilbene-fused 2'-hydroxychalcones and flavanones.

Synthesis of stilbene-fused chalcones and flavanones were successfully completed. Molecules were designed in a way to mimic the structural features of both "stilbene and chalcones" or "stilbene and flavanones" at the same time, and synthesized by three steps. Heck reactions of 3-bromobenzaldehyde with styrene derivatives gave corresponding (E)-stilbenes, which were reacted with acetophenones to furnish stilbene-fused 2'-hydroxychalcones under basic conditions. Finally, intramolecular cyclization reactions were performed to produce stilbene-fused flavanones.